WEST BOYLSTON 
The Christmas season is about giving, especially to those who are less fortunate. That theme is crystal clear at Major Edwards Elementary School. Seasonal giving started a bit early last month when students at the school jumped into action after Hurricane Sandy.

Fifth graders spearheaded a weeklong coin drive that resulted in $141.95 being collected at the school. All the money was donated to the American Red Cross to aid victims. Students saw a need and they wanted to help.

“It was good to help the people get back to where they were before the hurricane,” Abdulrahman Saeed, a fifth-grader, said. “I think it's nice to give to those who are poor. A goal for everybody should be to make people happy.”

His classmate, Benjamin Pino, agreed.

“It's good that people from the school are generous enough to give to others,” Pino said.

“The Major Edwards community has always been very generous. It's important for the kids to learn about community service,” Pepi said.

First-grade teacher Amybeth Widing started an annual mitten/giving tree donation drive with her class four years ago. Her students have made a tradition of collecting mittens, gloves, hats, ear warmers, scarves, coats and other clothing meant to keep people warm. Donations don't just come from first-grade students.

“The whole community is wonderful and very generous,” Widing said. “Every year, parents ask me if I'll be doing it again next year,” she said.

Widing explained that her experience with her own adopted daughter, Emma, brought the idea to the teacher's attention.

“As we dealt with foster care, we realized and saw that many of these children really needed warm hats, mittens, basic necessities,” Widing said. “That's when I realized we could do something like this to help, and it's been great for everyone.”

Widing said the clothing donations will be given to the Department of Children and Families (DCF). Through the agency, local families will benefit from generosity at Major Edwards.

“The DCF will help families in Worcester, Whitinsville, and West Boylston,” Widing said, noting she appreciates the heartfelt giving at Major Edwards.

“The whole community has been very generous,” Widing said. “We even received 50 beautiful handmade scarves from Girl Scouts in town last year. Isn't that just unbelievable? We've even gotten beautiful brand new coats from people.”

Pepi said Widing wanted to make the holiday generosity bigger and better this year by including toys in the collection.

“She talked about expanding the program to include toys. That's when the fourth- and fifth-graders jumped in to help,” Pepi said.

This past Monday, the first official day of the school week-long drive, boxes were already brimming with donations.

And the givers were happy to be doing their part.

“I think this is a good idea. It's fun to bring stuff in for people who are less fortunate,” Jared Karsina, 6, said.

Emily Hubbard, also 6, stated her feelings simply.

“I'm happy to do it,” she said.

“It's really nice to give to those who aren't as fortunate as us,” fifth grader Nicole Barakian said.

Sophia Croft, also in fifth grade, sees the donations as filling a need for those who are not well off.

“Some people don't have enough money to buy toys for their kids, so we can help,” Sophia said.